Towns, cities struggle with services

The National Letters

TOWNS in Papua New Guinea provide opportunities of
services and a wide variety of goods to people who live and work there.
However, the struggle to access many of the services essential for daily living is not easier for many urban centres.
The PNG Medium Term Development Plan 3 outlines plans for improving service delivery under the District Towns Improvement Programme funded through the District Services Improvement Programmes (DSIP).
The PNG National Urbanisation Policy (NUP) has plans in place for the rejuvenation, strengthening and planning for provincial and district towns.
Under well-crafted and detail subdivision town plans this can stimulate economic growth and improve development.
Challenges:

  • URBAN Planning is a highly technical field. Preparation of a holistic urbanisation and physical planning policies that is easily understood by all stakeholders is important;
  • LACK of provincial and urban development plans for district and provincial towns;
  • NATIONAL budget is not sufficient to meet the increasing cost of social programmes and public service delivery. This is the biggest development challenge;
  • MPs are heavily dependent on the recurrent budget under which the K10 million DSIP funds are allocated. There are two main budgets in the country the recurrent and the development budget.

There is also the Capital Investment Budget for impact projects funded by the Government; and,

  • LACK of understanding on how the Government system works by MPs. The urban planning process starts from the bottom up. From the ward level, planning starts to the local level government before it reaches the distinct and provincial level until it finally gets to the Government. But in terms of the distribution of resources it flows from the top down. Possible strategies;
  • PROVINCIAL and district governments must draw up specific sites and services programs for the provision of primary trunk and primary infrastructure for towns. Development and money go together. We need MPs who can make money for the province and have plans for improving service delivery in the districts fully funded by its internal revenue;
  • VOTE a leader who is not misusing your K10 million DSIP funds; and,
  • MPs must have the experience accompanied by good knowledge and a broader understanding of how the Government system functions. On the allocation of resources and the different planning processes for improving service delivery in the districts.

Edward Pulagis (MPIA)
Master of Urban and Regional
Planning, University of Sydney,
NSW, Australia